Three Quarter Time
by Trelweny Rosephoenixwolf
Summary: FF4, after the game. Edge/Rydia. Can be stand alone, but may add to if muse and reviews insist. 1st shared fanfic. Please Review if you read. Thanks.


_Author's Note: Final Fantasy characters, settings, storylines belong to Squaresoft/Enix. Otherwise, please enjoy. My first shared fanfiction, originally written over a decade after playing the game in about the course of an hour of inspiration. _

**Three Quarter Time**

She did not look at him, not that he supposed he could blame her. His behavior earlier… deplorable. Juvenile, even for him. Even here, the green majesty of her head lightly leaning into his chest as they danced, she would not look at him.

Edge was a flirt –once a womanizer- and though he often could not read the green haired enchantress –cough, Caller- for once he did not try to deceive himself that she might possibly be leaning into him out of a want to get closer to him. Not a chance. It was her way of not speaking to him, of not even having to look at him.

And the ninja king of Eblan had been so thrilled at the net results of their friends, with their intricate web of dancing and changing partners that had ended with Rydia –Gods! Rydia!- in his arms for at least one dance. Somehow he would thank them for this one memory, though he had already blown his chance long before the bloom of their efforts had been set to motion. He could feel the whispering, ghostly touch of her green hair (when had it grown so long?) upon the back of his hand where it rested lightly on her slender waist. Trained ears could hear the gentle sway of the floating, elegant dress Rosa had picked out for their young companion to wear tonight. A silken gown that accentuated all of the Caller of Mist's curves even in its simplicity, the gold threads of detailing upon it sparkling where the light caught; accentuating even more the mystical quality of an already overly mysterious young woman. He could almost feel her softness & could definitely feel her warmth through the fabric of the dress where his one hand rested where it should. It took all of his ninja training and control not to pull her to him in a fierce and loving embrace now that she was so close… so close…

That she was furious at him helped to. Kept his longing and desire and –yes!- love for her held back & in check. King Edward 'Edge' Geraldine moved her around the dancefloor as graceful & effortlessly as he fought. Closing his eyes the ninja king continued the dance. One song. One song, King Cecil of Baron had asked of her when he & Rosa had traded partners after the choreographed shift of partners that had left Rydia in Edge's arms. Her green head had bowed once in silent acceptance at seeing the look in the Paladin's eyes. And she had been silent since.

He sighed softly, his clothing shifting against the flow of the dance at the motion. After their victory on the moon, he had given up women. There was only one for him now and no other would do. They all paled in comparison to the spark -the LIFE- this green haired beauty in his arms had in the nail of her smallest finger. After a week he had given up the booze he had fallen into. It dulled his memories of her. Snapping comebacks. Fierce and independent confrontations. Always truthful. Even snapping at him –the way she called him an idiot when he WAS- always the truth as she saw it.

Rydia dancing. Dancing on the airship. One of the few times she had permitted him to stay near without the others present or in battle. Probably because he was often so rapt in watching her that he forgot to speak. A treasured memory.

Like this would be. Only a memory.

Without thinking Edge shifted his hand where it held hers for this waltz and smoothed his thumb in a tender motion over the back of the delicate & infinitely powerful hand he held there. A soft sound emanated from him that were there more of it might have been something between a sigh & a sob. With it… his cheek fell to rest as lightly on the crown of her silken emerald hair as the ends of that same hair touched his lower hand. The delicate scent of the Caller, beautiful & magical, filled him stronger than before.

_'Rydia… I love you. Only you. The strength of your spirit. Your courage. Your grace. Your innocence. The bite of your tongue. Ah gods! Rydia! If I even tried to tell you… if I could even find the words… would you even believe me?'_

* * *

She could not look at him. She did not want to hear the come-ons he would likely say. She did not want to feel that strange, out-of-self feeling that came over her as she retorted. She thought if she did not look at him, perhaps he would not speak. He would not speak… and she could hold on to this strangely pleasant feeling. So far, it was working.

If she did not look at him she would not be tempted to stare in fascination into his storm-blue eyes, always off-shot by his almost wild silvery-white hair. Resist the temptation to touch their softness with her fingertips, to see if his hair really WAS as soft as it looked. If she kept her eyes shut, Rydia would not see how the ninja's muscular and fit body filled the clothes he wore. Clothes that were simple, yet elegant. Clothes fit for a ninja king to breathe in. He could go from dancing to battle in these clothes: slightly baggy white pants that did nothing to hide the toned legs inside, soft fitted jerkin in a blue that only emphasized the ninja's eyes & bearing embroidery upon the sleeves in silver and a soft copper, an almost gray silvery doublet soft as a kitten beneath her cheek & not shielding her at all from the beat of his heart –a beat that seemed too fast for the peace of this evening. Too fast… like her own…

That feeling… It only gripped her when she was with Edge. Something else was there when he was gone. It was like an emptiness, but it hurt too. Like something was missing. Ever since the day they met: the ninja –then just a prince- ready to fight and die to save or revenge his parents. She had been afraid… so afraid the brave though idiotic prince would be added to the list of those she knew who had died. His first words were not so bad…('I hate to see a pretty girl cry' –he had sounded so sweet and sincere that her tears had slowed and for the first time she looked up & into his storm-blue eyes)… but everything that had come out of him after… Did other girls really find such words flattering? Rydia understood so little of courting & flirting and relationships. That part of her upbringing completely neglected through no intention of her monster guardians through her formative years.

And yet she knew he felt something for her. Did she though? Other than frustration? This strange feeling that had seemed whispers before and was now telling her right here, like this, was where she wanted to be?

Rydia silently thanked Cecil for the excuse to continue this dance. Strong as she was… the Caller did not have it in her to agree to this on her own. Likely, it would have brought one of Edge's lame lines and ruined it.

Though on some level… she was missing their banter. Had it grown playful, there in the end? Or was that loneliness, missing her friends, that was changing her memories of the past?

Yet she knew –KNEW- there was more to Edge than what he showed. How could that be? Why had she missed him –HIM- so much while she was away? He was infuriating. Rydia could take on evil all around her. She knew how to deal with THAT. How to study and improve her black magic & call. How to improve with her whip. This… this she had nothing to tell her how to deal with it. Not even to know what IT was.

She could feel the softness of his formal wear against her cheek and the breathing & beating of his heart. His scent, exotic & masculine, tickled her nose in a pleasing way as it filled her nostrils. Why could it not always be like this? Inwardly the caller sighed, eyes closed and memorizing the feel of being in the ninja king's arms. If only they could stay like this. She hated the things he got her to say to him. Hated the feeling as the words came from her mouth. But Rydia did not like to feel belittled, and that's exactly what his words made her feel. Not like this. Not… cherished? Another inward sigh. The dance was so graceful… she hoped it would never end.

Then she felt him shift. Barely heard the soft almost strangled sound he made. Something in her ached at the sound of it. _'Edge? Are you hurting? I… wish I understood how you make me feel. I wish I knew… I wish I knew…Oh Edge! Why are you such an IDIOT?!'_

* * *

"This is one very long song." Queen Rosa whispered softly to her beloved, looking up as her lips left the proximity of his ear to catch his eyes. There was a mischievous glint in them and she could not help but smile in response. "More than the dance of partners?"

The king of Baron remained silent, though his eyes and even the ripple of his entire body beneath the pale colors of his elegant garments laughed. "Cecil! How long did you tell the musicians to loop the song!" His wife hissed disbelieving at him. Those laughing eyes turned 'innocent' as he looked back at her, feigning hurt insult. "Me?"

Then it dawned on Rosa, her eyes darting to the musicians' dais. Gilbert. The blonde bard king of Damycan looked up feeling his friend's eyes upon him and smiled lightly raising a brow as he did while never missing a note on his instrument. Shaking her head softly Rosa sighed then looked back at her husband. "How long will Gilbert keep them playing, Beloved?"

"Long enough."

Another sigh from the queen. "At least it is my favorite song…" Cecil laughed warm & soft, head of silvery-blonde hair tossing backwards. Then his eyes found his queen's and smiled tenderly. "I'd subject you to no less, Rosa." Both grinned. "Who knows how long those stubborn friends of ours will take."

* * *

_Author's note: This may or may not be left here. Depends on if another rush of inspiration hits me. This one jumped to mind, begging to be typed. There IS more… but at the moment it is only fleeting images not wholly formed._

_If there are a lot of comments for more I will probably be more likely to add to this. Until then –I thought this was a cute place to stop it. _


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